£7.00 per week - menu ideas

jackel

Hi Lillyplonk-Glad you're going to have a go at Runner Beans. They are easy to grow from seed and cheaper.Pound type shops had seeds up to last year(haven't looked this year yet but we save our own seed anyway so that's an extra saving). You just fill smallish pots with compost(bought) which gives them a better start - yoghurt pots are ideal - and push one in each pot
Well done BB on your own grown stores - doesn't it save some money ? jac.xx

joedenise

I always start my runner beans off in loo roll middles as they like to put down long roots and no need to transplant just stick the cardboard loo roll middle straight into the soil/compost.

Denise

SailorSam

joedenise wrote: »

Will definitely be popping into Aldi tomorrow to pick up a couple of butternut squash (or should that be squashes?).

Denise

With words like that when you're never sure what the plural is, rather than make a fool of yourself you just need to ask for a butternut squash, and after they hand it to you ask for another butternut squash.

Butterfly_Brain

joedenise wrote: »

I always start my runner beans off in loo roll middles as they like to put down long roots and no need to transplant just stick the cardboard loo roll middle straight into the soil/compost.

Denise

Never done runner beans like that but I have done it with carrots and parsnips becausethey do not like their roots disturbed

Savvy_sewing

I use the old post/Recipes every now and then when had unexpected bills etc.
This month the car broke on a pothole, and one week before my holiday, it has cost me £150. Only place to squeeze really is the food budget, so along with a store cupboard challenge, I'm hoping to only spend £15 a week until further notice. So I will be back on here and shopping in Aldi for my veggies etc on my return. Going on a Sun £9.50 holiday, chalet in France. Taking basic menu plan stuff with us, not because we don't like the food but because it's already in store and it will give us more in our pockets for the fuel and toll charges!
Hoping to make Elaine's Thermal Bag, before I go so we can save time, fuel etc as well. Check it out on https://www.mortgagefreeinthree.com she's selling a tutorial on making it, and road tests lots of lovely recipes, feeds her family of 3, for around £18 or so a week.

Butterfly_Brain

Super six to April 23rd:

1kg Salad potatoes
500g chantenay carrots
300g cherry tomatoes
500g Leeks
750g parsnips
Cauliflower

All at 49p each

ash28

Butterfly_Brain wrote: »

Super six to April 23rd:

1kg Salad potatoes
500g chantenay carrots
300g cherry tomatoes
500g Leeks
750g parsnips
Cauliflower

All at 49p each

A couple of recipes....

We had this last night for dinner....

Leek & Potato soup - Serves 6 - Cost approx £1.20 or 20p per serving

400gm leeks, sliced - 49p
1 onion chopped - 8p
750gm potatoes, peeled and chopped - 40p
splash of milk or cream (if you have it)
rasher of bacon chopped (if you have it)
knob of butter or marg - 20p
veg stock or water - around 1.5 to 2 litres - depending on how thick you like your soup
Season to taste.

Fry onions and bacon in butter - gently - don't let them burn
Add potatoes and leeks and fry for a minute or two
Add stock or water, bring to the boil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes
Blend some or all of the soup - depending on taste (I like to leave some bits in the soup)
Add a dash of milk or cream.


Curried Parsnip soup - serves 4 - Cost about 70p or 17.5p per serving

500gm parsnips - chopped - 34p
1 onion - chopped - 8p
1 teaspoon of mild curry powder or to taste- 10p
1 dessert spoon of sugar - brown or white - 5p
1 litre water or stock
dash milk, cream or creme fraiche 10p

Put all ingredients into pan, bring to boil and simmer for 25 to 30 mins
Blend.
Season to taste. You can add a potato or two to this if you want.

Roasted Carrots, Parsnip and Potatoes - serves 4 - cost about 89p or 22p per serving - this is a good side dish.

500gm carrots - 49p
250gm parsnip - 17p
500gm potatoes - 23p

Preheat oven to gas 7 or 220c.
Chop carrots (or leave whole), peel and chop remaining parsnips, chop potatoes and place on a tray with a little oil - roast for about 40 minutes or until done.....season with a little salt.

Muffin Pizza - serves 6 - cost approx £1.95 or 33p per serving
These are good with or without the cheese and/or tomatoes.

1 pack Sainsburys Basic Muffins - 69p
2 or 3 cloves of garlic - finely chopped - 10p
Cherry tomatoes - 49p
Butter - 20p
Basic Mozzarella - 44p

Split muffins and spread each half with butter, put a little garlic on each one, cut cherry tomatoes in half and put 3 to 4 halves on each muffin, top with a bit of mozzarella - heat oven to gas 4, 180c - place muffins on a tray and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until cheese has melted and muffin slightly crispy.

Butterfly_Brain

I love parsnip and apple soup, it is lush.

Cauliflower cheese just use the cauliflower and a cheese sauce 25p Aldi if you can afford it sprinkle some grated cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
I love it with HP sauce.

If you have any cauli cheese left over then make this tasty soup

[FONT=&quot]Cauliflower cheese soup[/FONT]
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of oil or a little butter (I use light olive oil)
Approx 1 litre of leftover cauliflower in cheese sauce
1 litre vegetable stock
A little milk as required
salt and freshly ground pepper


1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the chopped onions and celery and cook on a medium heat until the onion is soft and transparent and the celery has started to soften.
2. Add the stock and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the celery is soft.
3. Add the cauliflower in cheese sauce and cook for a further 10 minutes.
4. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool for about 20 minutes.
5. Puree the soup with a stick blender or in a liquidiser, adding some milk if the mixture becomes too thick.
6. Season to taste.

Or form the leftovers into patties, dip in egg and breadcrumbs and fry serve with sausages

Or fill pancakes with the warmed up mix

[FONT=&quot]Potato and cauliflower patties[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Old potatoes[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Cauliflower[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Grated cheese[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Boil and mash a few potatoes. Once cooled add some cooked, finely chopped cauliflower and some grated cheese. You could add other finely chopped vegetables if you have others as leftovers.[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]Mould into cake shapes, place on a greased baking tray and bake in a 180 C/Gas 4 oven until lightly brown and cooked through (approximately 20 to 25 mins).[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]This can be frozen once cooked as well.[/FONT]

Make a vegetable curry by roasting the parsnips, potatoes, carrots and leeks in a little oil, boil the cauliflower florets and chop and mix with a 20p Asda curry sauce and serve with boiled rice

Butterfly_Brain

Just thought of another way to use up left over cauliflower cheese, make into pasties using either shortcrust, flaky or puff pastry add a little paprika to the cauli cheese to spice it up a bit if you want or add some chopped up ham

Savvy_sewing

Just back off of holiday, where I actually took most of my food with me, from my normal cupboards. But today I need to get some fresh veg. Will be taking a trip to Aldi, when I drop DGD to see her Mum.
I will be re visiting earlier posts for convenient recipes and try to use minimum spend for the next month, so I can get a few more £ back into the savings.